Automotive header protective assembly



May 25, 1965 J. E. DZIENISIEWICZ 3,185,312

AUTOMOTIVE HEADER PROTECTIVE ASSEMBLY Filed Dec. 16, 1963 FIG. I

4 TI'OPNEY United States Patent 3,135,312 AUTOMOTIVE HEADER PRGTEUTIVEASSEMBLY Joseph E. Dzienisiewicz, 394-4 Virginia Ave., Lynwood, Calif.Filed Dec. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 331,029 2 Claims. (Cl. 211-87) The presentinvention relates generally to the field of automotive accessories, andmore particularly to an automotive header protective assembly adapted toremovably support clothes hangers therefrom and to prevent the coathanger hook from damaging the header at the time the hook is placed in asupporting position on the assembly.

The present day automotive sedan is usually provided with a clothessupport in the upper rear portion of the vehicle, which is normallysurrounded by an expanse of fabric header that lines the interior topportion of the vehicle. When a garment is supported on a hanger, and thehook thereof is caused to engage this support, the header adjacent thesupport is frequently torn or otherwise damaged by the coat hanger hook.

After a header has been damaged, it can only be repaired by hand sewing,bringing the material as close together as possible, which can never bea perfect job, which is normally beyond the skill of the ordinaryindividual. It is almost impossible to take a header completely out of avehicle without damage to the header as a whole. Replacement of theheader material with new, is the only answer, which is, of course,relatively expensive.

A major object of the present invention is to provide a headerprotective assembly for an automotive vehicle that is adapted to supporta clothes hanger therefrom and protect the header against damage causedby the hook of the hanger, even though the hanger is carelessly mountedon the assembly.

Another object of the invention is to furnish a header protectiveassembly of extremely simple construction that can be fabricated fromstandard, commercially available materials, is simple and easy toinstall, can be retailed at a realtively low price, yet is sufficientlyrugged as to last the life of the vehicle in which it is installed.

Yet another object of the invention is to supply a header protectiveassembly that can be furnished in a color matching that of the header ofthe vehicle in which it is installed, with the assembly while protectingthe header from damage in the manner described being sufficientlyunobtrusive that it does not detract from the ornamental appearance ofthe vehicle.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a headerprotective assembly that is particularly adapted for fabrication as anintegral unit from a polymerized resin which can be colored to matchthat of the header against which it will be mounted.

A further object of the invention is to provide a header protectiveassembly that includes a stiff but resilient shield, which because ofits resiliency is capable of conforming to the interior contour of thetop of the vehicle on which it is mounted.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following description of a preferred and analternate form thereof, and from the accompanying drawing illustratingthe same, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a rear interior portion ofan automotive sedan, showing a preferred form of the header protectiveassembly mounted above the window in abutting contact with the header;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged front elevational view of the assembly shown inFIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the preferred form ofassembly and a portion of the vehicle top on which it is mounted, takenon the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view of a first alternate form or" theassembly;

FEGURE 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the rst alternate formof the assembly, taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view of a second alternate form of theheader protective assembly.

With continuing reference to the drawing for the general arrangement ofthe invention, it will be seen that a preferred form of the protectiveheader assembly A is mounted in the upper interior top portion B of anautomotive vehicle C. The top portion B of the present day automotivevehicle curves upwardly and inwardly as shown in FIGURE 3, and normallya clothes hanger support (not shown) is mounted thereon as originalequipment on the vehicle supported by a screw (not shown) that engages abore 10. The original clothes hanger support (not shown) is removedprior to installation of either the preferred form A of the protectiveheader assembly or the first alternate form D thereof shown in FIGURES 4and 5.

The preferred form of the protective header assembly A, as best seen inFIGURES 2 and 3, includes a semicircular shield 12 which is preferablyformed from a fibrous sheet material that is stitf but somewhatresilient. A clothes hanger support member E is provided that has a base14 from which a prong 16 projects upwardly. A bore 1% extends throughthe base 14 which is adapted to be engaged by a screw 20.

An opening 22 is formed in shield 12 wherein the tubu lar portion 24 ofa grommet 26 is disposed.

The shield 12 is placed in abutting contact with the header F coveringthe interior top portion B (FIGURE 3), and when so disposed the screw 20is brought into alignment with the bore ill and inserted therein.Thereafter, the screw 21 is rotated to threadedly engage bore 10 wherebythe hanger support member E and shield 12 is moved toward the interiortop portion B. During this rotational movement, because of theresiliency and deformability thereof, shield 12 is bent in the mannershown in FIGURE 3, and forced into pressure contact with the header F toassume the contour of the interior top portion B. When the assembly A isso positioned on the interior top portion B the hanger support member Eis centered longitudinally relative to the shield 12, and in thisposition the header F is protected from tears or other damage should thehook (not shown) of a hanger come into inadvertent contact therewith atthe time the hanger is being mounted on the support member E.

To add to the attractiveness of the preferred form of the assembly justdescribed, it is desirable that the shield 12 thereof be furnished in avariety of colors which match the colors of headers currently in use onvehicles in which it will be installed. It will be noted in FIGURES 2and 3 that the lower end of header F terminates in a straight edge 38which is in abutting contact with a head 32 that forms a part of thevehicle C.

The preferred form of the assembly, as can best be seen in FIGURES l and3, is aliixed to the interior top portion B of the vehicle C in aposition directly above a window G therein. The bead 32 (FIGURE 1)defines the termination of the header F and extends around the window G.

The first alternate form of the invention D shown in FIGURES 4 and 5includes a semi-circular shield 12 of the same configuration as shield12, and is formed from a stifif, but resilient polymerized resin.

A clothes hanger supporting member E, identical in construction assupport member E, serves the same function and projects from the centralportion of shield 12', and is preferably formed integral therewith.Member E includes a base 14' from which a prong 16 projects upwardly. Abore 18' extends through the base 14, and a screw 20' extends throughthis bore to threadedly engage the bore 10. When the screw 26 istightened it forces the base 14 and shield 12' towards the top portion Bof the vehicle C into abutting contact with the header F. Due to theresiliency thereof, the shield 12 conforms to the interior configurationof the top portion B, in the manner shown in FIGURE 5.

The first alternate form of the assembly serves the same function as thepreferred form thereof, and the polymerized resin defining the shield12' and the hanger supporting member E is preferably colored to blendwith the color of the header F against which it will be positioned.

A second alternate form of the header protective assembly is shown inFIGURE 6, wherein a base 30 is provided that has a prong 32 extendingupwardly and outwardly therefrom. A number of vertically spaced grooves34 are formed on the interior surface of prong 32 in which the hooks ofclothes hangers (not shown) may be supported. A bore 36 extends throughbase 30. A tube 38 is provided, one end portion 49 of which is fit inbore 36 to frictionally engage the same, or is otherwise bonded to thebase 30. End portion 40 includes an end piece 42.

The outer surfaces of base 30 and end piece 42 abut against a washer 44,which washer in turn is in contact with the inner surface of shield 12.A lower edge 46 or" shield 12 conforms to the lower boundary of liner F,which is also true of the shield, as shown in FIGURE 3 The shield 12abuts against the liner F in the same manner as in the preferred form ofthe assembly.

A screw 48 is provided that extends through a bore 59 in end piece 42,and then through washer 44, shield 12, liner F to end portion B ofvehicle C. The screw 48, as can be seen in FIGURE 6, serves to hold theabove described assembly in place in a vehicle C to protect the liner12' thereof. The tube 38 has a number of pairs of diametrically alignedopenings 52 formed therein, which are adapted to removably engage andsupport the hooks of clothes hangers (not shown).

The use and operation of the invention have been described in detailherein and need not be repeated.

Although the present invention is fully capable of achieving the objectsand providing the advantages hereinbefore mentioned, it is to beunderstood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferredembodiments thereof and I do not mean to be limited to the details ofconstruction herein shown and described, other than as defined in theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A header protective assembly for removably supporting at least oneclothes hanger within the interior of an automotive vehicle covered by aheader, including:

(a) a base having a bore formed therein;

(b) a prong extending upwardly and outwardly from said base;

(c) a tube, an end portion of which is disposed in said bore and afiixedto said base, with the balance of said tube projecting from said baseand having at least one pair of diametrically aligned openings formedtherein for removably engaging and supporting a hook on one of saidhangers;

(d) an end piece that closes said end portion of said tube, which endpiece has a bore formed therein;

(e) a washer against which the outersurfaces of said base and end pieceabut;

(f) a deformable protective shield that is in contact with said washerand said liner; and

(g) a screw extending through said bore in said end piece and saidwasher, shield and liner to enter a top portion of said vehicle toremovably support said assembly therefrom.

2. A header protective assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein aplurality of vertically spaced grooves are formed in said prong, each ofwhich grooves is capable of engaging and supporting a hook of one ofsaid hangers.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,796,226 3 /3lTombler 16-1 2,520,051 8/50 Newland 211123 X 2,695,152 11/54 Parulski248-304 X 2,765,998 10/56 Engert 24829 3,063,669 11/62 Bell 248-304FOREIGN PATENTS 874,524 8/ 61 Great Britain.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

1. A HEADER PROTECTIVE ASSEMBLY FOR REMOVABLY SUPPORTING AT LEAST ONECLOTHES HANGER WITHIN THE INTERIOR OF AN AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE COVERED BY AHEADER, INCLUDING: (A) A BASE HAVING A BORE FORMED THEREIN; (B) A PRONGEXTENDING UPWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY FROM SAID BASE; (C) A TUBE, AN ENDPORTION OF WHICH IS DISPOSED IN SAID BORE AND AFFIXED TO SAID BASE, WITHTHE BALANCE OF SAID TUBE PROJECTING FROM SAID BASE AND HAVING AT LEASTONE PAIR OF DIAMETRICALLY ALIGNED OPENINGS FORMED THEREIN FOR REMOVABLYENGAGING AND SUPPORTING A HOOK ON ONE OF SAID HANGERS; (D) AN END PIECETHAT CLOSES SAID END PORTION OF SAID TUBE, WHICH END PIECE HAS A BOREFORMED THEREIN; (E) A WASHER AGAINST WHICH THE OUTER SURFACES OF SAIDBASE AND END PIECE ABUT; (F) A DEFORMABLE PROTECTIVE SHIELD THAT IS INCONTACT WITH SAID WASHER AND SAID LINER; AND (G) A SCREW EXTENDINGTHROUGH SAID BORE IN SAID END PIECE AND SAID WASHER, SHIELD AND LINER TOENTER A TOP PORTION OF SAID VEHICLE TO REMOVABLY SUPPORT SAID ASSEMBLYTHEREFROM.